Japan Sun Industries

What Japan Sun Industries does

Japan Sun Industries (社会福祉法人 太陽の家, Taiyo no Ie) is a Social Welfare Corporation founded in October 1965 in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, by Dr. Yutaka Nakamura under the philosophy 'No Charity, but a Chance!' As Japan's first comprehensive disability welfare facility, it provides employment support (Type A/B employment continuation, employment transition, and employment stabilization services), daily living support through designated disability support facilities (Yutaka, 40 capacity; Yuwa, 60 capacity), welfare homes, and elderly care via the special nursing home Kojuen (80 capacity, Kitsuki City). Services are delivered across six facilities in Oita (Beppu headquarters, Oita city, Hiji, Kitsuki), Aichi (Gamagori), and Kyoto (Minami-ku) prefectures, supported by 283 staff as of April 1, 2025.

Revenue is generated principally through Japan's regulated welfare system — government subsidies tied to service usage and user co-payments — supplemented by consumer-facing operations that include Sun Store supermarket (Japan's first barrier-free supermarket, established 1977), Sun Sports Center, Taiyo Museum (opened July 2020), the eBARLEY e-sports area (opened January 2025), and the on-site Health Support Center. The organization's model is distinctively ecosystem-based: seven joint-venture companies with major Japanese corporations (Omron, Sony, Honda, Mitsubishi Shoji, Denso, Omron Kyoto, FSAS Technologies) operate on-site or adjacent to Taiyo facilities, providing sheltered employment in electronics assembly, automotive parts, ATM/computer repair, and warehouse management. The integrated Beppu campus also houses an Oita Bank branch (since 1980) and a Gamagori Shinkin Bank branch, creating a barrier-free community environment where service users, staff, and the general public interact without segregation.

Go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: referrals come through Hello Work public employment offices, welfare offices, and direct inquiries; brand-building relies on the museum's approximately 10,000 annual visitors, social media (Instagram, Facebook), annual community events, and the institutional recognition of being recognized as the birthplace of Japanese para-sports — a status reinforced by the Emperor and Empress's attendance at the 50th anniversary in 2015. Distribution is exclusively direct through owned facilities; pricing for core welfare services is government-regulated, while museum admission (¥200-¥500) and sports facility rental (¥200-¥1,000) are publicly disclosed unit-priced offerings.

Name

Japan Sun Industries

Legal name

社会福祉法人 太陽の家

Website

https://taiyonoie.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Japan Sun Industries (Taiyo no Ie) is a Japanese Social Welfare Corporation founded in 1965 providing employment support, daily living assistance, and elderly care for people with disabilities across six facilities in Oita, Aichi, and Kyoto prefectures, operated through government-subsidized programs and a co-located corporate joint-venture ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Welfare Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Athletics Facilities & Venue Management (EDALAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB), Fitness & Wellness Operations Support (On-site Gyms/Wellness Rooms) (IMAIALAL)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Welfare facility operations
• Accessible retail services
• Long-term elderly care
• Community disability support

Headquarters

HQ city

Oita

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Disability welfare services (介護保険・障害福祉サービス): 太阳の家 operates certified disability welfare service facilities providing employment support (就労支援A型・B型), daily life support (生活介護), and short-term stays (ショートスティ). Revenue comes from government subsidies based on service usage and user co-payments regulated by Japan's welfare system.
2. Special nursing home services (特別养护老人ホーム): 太阳の家広寿苑 provides elderly care services requiring long-term care certification (要介護3-5). Revenue generated through long-term care insurance system with government subsidies and user fees.
3. Museum and training facilities: 太阳ミュージアム charges admission fees for educational tours and experiences related to disability welfare and para-sports history. Additionally, training room and gymnasium facilities generate usage fees from the general public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Japan Sun Industries (太陽の家) is a Social Welfare Corporation (社会福祉法人) founded in 1965 that operates six facilities across Oita, Aichi, and Kyoto prefectures providing employment support (Type A/B employment continuation, employment transition, employment stabilization), daily living support, designated disability support facilities, and special nursing home services for elderly individuals certified at long-term care levels 3–5. Supplemental services include the Sun Store universal-design supermarket, the Sun Sports Center, the Taiyo Museum (para-sports history), the Health Support Center, and the eBARLEY accessible e-sports area. Revenue is generated through Japan's government-regulated welfare insurance system, public subsidies, co-payments, museum admissions, and sports facility rentals, with approximately 283 staff serving beneficiaries and the broader community.

Product overview

Japan Sun Industries (社会福祉法人 太陽の家) operates a multi-facility social welfare organization with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on employment support services (Type A/B employment continuation, employment transition, employment stabilization) for people with disabilities, supplemented by living support facilities (welfare homes, designated disability support facilities), elderly care (special nursing homes), retail services (Sun Store supermarket), sports/recreation (Sun Sports Center), health support, and education/museum services (Taiyo Museum). The organization operates six locations across Oita, Aichi, and Kyoto prefectures with 283 staff members supporting approximately 1,900 people who have transitioned to society over 60 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• サンベーカリー (Sun Bakery): Fresh handmade bread made and sold daily at Sun Store supermarket.
• 健康サポートセンターたいよう (Health Support Center Taiyo)
• eBARLEY (イーバーリー)

Products and services

• Taiyo no Ie Head Office (太陽の家本部) Main Beppu campus offering facility admission support, Type A and Type B employment continuation support, employment transition support, employment stabilization support, day care, and welfare homes, co-located with the Sun Store supermarket, Sun Sports Center, and joint venture factories.
• Sun Store Supermarket (スーパーマーケット サンストア) Japan's first supermarket where wheelchair users work at registers, established December 11, 1977. Universal design features include wide aisles, height-adjustable registers, multilingual self-checkout, and barrier-free access. Offers fresh produce, meat, fish, prepared foods, and daily fresh-baked Sun Bakery bread. Open to the general public 10:00–19:00.
• Sun Sports Center (サンスポーツセンター) Gymnasium and training room available for facility users, staff, and community members. Offers wheelchair basketball, badminton, volleyball, boccia courts, and wheelchair tennis courts for rent. Training room usage 200 yen per visit; half court 500 yen/hour; full court 1,000 yen/hour.
• Designated Disability Support Facility Yutaka (指定障害者支援施設ゆたか) Designated support facility for people with severe disabilities, with 40-bed capacity. Provides daily living assistance including bathing, excretion, meals, training, and rehabilitation services.
• Designated Disability Support Facility Yuwa (指定障害者支援施設ゆうわ) Designated support facility in Hiji Town with 60-bed capacity. Provides daily care, rehabilitation, and short-term stays. Located within Sun Community Daigan complex alongside welfare home Ohga Heights and Sony Taiyo.
• Taiyo no Ie Kojuen Special Nursing Home (特別養護老人ホーム 太陽の家 広寿苑) Special nursing home in Kitsuki City with 80-bed total capacity (50 multi-bed rooms, 30 unit-type rooms) for elderly individuals requiring long-term care certification levels 3–5. Provides professional nursing care in natural surroundings with seasonal events and activities. Opened April 2012.
• Aichi Taiyo no Ie (愛知太陽の家) Second facility established April 1984 in Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture. Offers Type A and B employment support, employment transition support, day care, and welfare home (ひだまり) services. Co-located with the Denso Taiyo joint venture for automotive electronic component assembly.
• Kyoto Taiyo no Ie (京都太陽の家) Third facility established April 1986 in Minami-ku, Kyoto. Offers Type A and B employment support, employment transition support, and welfare home (ひまわり) services. Co-located with the Omron Kyoto Taiyo joint venture for control equipment manufacturing.
• Taiyo Museum (太陽ミュージアム) Museum dedicated to the history of Taiyo no Ie and Japanese para-sports, featuring archives, wheelchair experience zones, assistive device demonstrations, and para-sports trial experiences. Open for reservations Monday–Friday, 10:00–16:00. Admission: elementary school and under 200 yen; middle/high school students 300 yen; general admission 500 yen.
• eBARLEY (イーバーリー) eSports Area Oita Prefecture's only welfare corporation e-sports facility, featuring universal racing simulators accessible for wheelchair users. Serves as a new communication venue enabling interaction with teams across prefectures and hosting e-sports events.
• Challenge Taiyo (チャレンジたいよう) Employment transition support program at two locations (Beppu and Oita) with 20-user capacity, providing classroom learning and workplace training for general employment within two years.
• Work Support Taiyo (ワークサポートたいよう) Employment stabilization support providing regular meetings with individuals after general employment, coordination with employers and support organizations to ensure workplace retention.
• Disability Employment and Life Support Center Taiyo / Nakapotsu Taiyo (障がい者就業・生活支援センターたいよう / なかぽつ) Comprehensive support center providing employment and daily life support for people with disabilities in eastern Oita Prefecture, coordinating with Hello Work public employment offices and related support organizations.
• Health Support Center Taiyo (健康サポートセンターたいよう) Specialized health support offering consultation, evaluation, education, and exercise programs with professional staff including nurses, physical therapists, and psychologists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,900+ people achieved social rehabilitation through 太阳の家 over 60 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• エフサステクノロジーズ太陽株式会社 (FSAS Technologies Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1995Joint venture company established 1995 between FSAS Technologies (Fujitsu group) and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. Provides ATM and computer repair work (FJ machine division) for people with disabilities.
• オムロン京都太陽株式会社 (Omron Kyoto Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1985Joint venture company established 1985 between Omron Corporation and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. Located at 京都太阳の家 facility. Provides control equipment assembly work for people with disabilities.
• デンソー太陽株式会社 (Denso Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1984Joint venture company established April 1984 between Denso Corporation and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. Located at 愛知太阳の家 facility in Gamagori. Provides automotive electronic component assembly work for people with disabilities.
• 三菱商事太陽株式会社 (Mitsubishi Shoji Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1983Joint venture company established 1983 between Mitsubishi Corporation and 社会福祉法人太阳的家. Provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities in various manufacturing operations.
• ホンダ太陽株式会社 (Honda Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 1981Joint venture company established September 1981 between Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. Employs people with disabilities in automotive parts assembly operations.
• 索尼・太陽株式会社 (Sony Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1978Joint venture company established 1978 between Sony Corporation and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. Provides manufacturing employment for people with disabilities at Sun Community Ohga in Hiji town.
• オムロン太陽株式会社 (Omron Taiyo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1972Joint venture company established April 1972 between Omron Corporation and 社会福祉法人太阳の家. People with disabilities from 太阳の家 work in control equipment assembly and warehouse management. Located at 太阳の家 headquarters in Beppu.
• 大分銀行 (Oita Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner company operating 太阳の家 branch (大分銀行太阳之家支店) opened July 1980 within 太阳の家 headquarters campus. Provides banking services to facility users and community members, promoting community integration.
• 蒲郡信用金庫 (Gamagori Shinkin Bank)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner financial institution at 愛知太阳之家 facility providing banking services and community support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Large US nonprofit network delivering disability and special needs services including employment, adult day services, and accessible recreation. Operates at greater geographic scale but on a similar welfare-services-plus-employment model that maps well to Taiyo no Ie's residential care and supported employment work.
• Special Olympics International: Global movement providing year-round sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. Overlaps with Taiyo no Ie's identity as the birthplace of Japanese para-sports and its wheelchair marathon / boccia / wheelchair tennis programs, though Special Olympics is competition-focused rather than an operator of welfare facilities.
• International Paralympic Committee: Governing body of the Paralympic Movement and organizer of the Paralympic Games, whose development ties back to Dr. Yutaka Nakamura who led Japan's delegation at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Relevant as the international umbrella for the para-sports heritage that Taiyo no Ie owns domestically in Japan.

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries International: Global nonprofit that operates employment training, placement, and day programs for people with disabilities across a network of local affiliates. Most directly comparable to Taiyo no Ie because both anchor disability employment in real workplaces through partnerships with major employers, even though Goodwill is retail-driven while Taiyo no Ie uses joint-venture manufacturing.
• YAI / National Institute for Disability Services: US-based nonprofit providing housing, day programs, employment support, and clinical services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable in running an integrated campus model that combines residential care, vocational training, and community-facing amenities similar to Taiyo no Ie's Beppu headquarters.

Emerging players

• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit building one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Adjacent to Taiyo no Ie's employment support work and inclusive community programs, but operates in different geographies and through volunteer-driven chapters.

Regional players

• National Disability Services (Australia): Australian peak body representing disability service providers, including supported employment and accommodation operators. Functions as a parallel ecosystem to Taiyo no Ie's social welfare corporation model under a different regulatory framework, useful for cross-jurisdiction benchmarking of disability employment and welfare services.
• 横浜市総合リハビリテーション事業団 (Yokohama City General Rehabilitation Foundation): Public-sector rehabilitation and welfare organization operating employment support, disability福祉 services, and training programs in Yokohama. Comparable to Taiyo no Ie's service mix but anchored in a major urban prefecture, providing a regional counterpoint to Taiyo no Ie's Oita-centric footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/taiyonoie1965
• Facebookfacebook.com/taiyonoie

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Japan Sun Industries